For those who can read Albanian, here is a hard-hitting opinion piece by Mentor Kikia in the Albanian newspaper Shqip, (8 February 2007 p 11) indicting politicians of all hues.
For those who don't read Albanian I will try to summarise this story. On 13 January the Albanian Parliament passed law number 9678 'Për Dhënie Amnistie' - For the Granting of Amnesty.
While this has led to the release of a number of convicted criminals, Kikia claims that the politicians have effectively granted themselves immunity from investigation and prosecution, especially with regard to corruption.
While Albanian politicans have rarely agreed about much recently, even boycotting parliamentary votes, Kikia notes that in this case there was overwhelming support for the law from all the political groupings represented in Parliament.
For those who don't read Albanian I will try to summarise this story. On 13 January the Albanian Parliament passed law number 9678 'Për Dhënie Amnistie' - For the Granting of Amnesty.
While this has led to the release of a number of convicted criminals, Kikia claims that the politicians have effectively granted themselves immunity from investigation and prosecution, especially with regard to corruption.
While Albanian politicans have rarely agreed about much recently, even boycotting parliamentary votes, Kikia notes that in this case there was overwhelming support for the law from all the political groupings represented in Parliament.
Comments
The joke in English about politicians being poli (many) tics (blood sucking insects) is very, very appropriate for our "leaders"
I don't know Paisly and Adams (I'll have to Wiki them later) but I hope that they don't compare to ours. They can't be quite that bad, after all I don't hear Ireland being compared to Albania very often....
In Northern Ireland economic progress has been slower and more recent, and coincided with an end to violent conflict and the beginnings of a political solution.
But it too 25 years to end the violence, another four years to come up with a political agreement and, so far 8 years (and counting) to fully implement it.
The two gentlemen I mentioned - Paisley and Adams - have been fixtures on the scene from the start: Paisley a political and religious fundamentalist Protestant; Adams an activist with the Irish terrorist organisation the IRA, eventually becoming its leader.
This organisation knew all about corruption - racketeering, smuggling, trafficking, extortion, bank robberies etc.
Nor are these marginal figures. The parties they lead are the two biggest parties in Northern Ireland - representing the two sides of the community.
If we have a final agreement we will end up with one of them as Prime Minister and the other as Deputy Prime Minister. At least in Albania you only have to put up with one set of politicians in power at a time.